Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Newport Beach

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 57 minutes via I-5 South, usually 56 at this time.

Only 3% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Los Angeles to Newport Beach (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 73 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (56 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Newport Beach to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 41 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 3 to 6 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Newport Beach along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Los Angeles to Newport Beach by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	58	60	51	46	48	48	50	52	59	65	67	58	48	42	40
Tue	39	47	64	66	53	49	48	49	50	54	61	68	70	61	51	43	40
Wed	39	47	62	66	55	50	49	50	51	55	63	68	72	62	51	44	41
Thu	39	47	62	65	54	50	51	51	54	55	65	69	73	64	52	45	41
Fri	40	46	56	56	51	50	52	52	55	61	68	71	71	66	53	47	43
Sat	40	41	42	43	46	48	51	51	53	55	55	56	55	52	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	48	50	50	52	51	49	47	46	45	42

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Los Angeles to Newport Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 73 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Newport Beach?

The 44-mile drive usually takes 39 to 73 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Newport Beach?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 73 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (8 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Newport Beach to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	58	60	51	46	48	48	50	52	59	65	67	58	48	42	40
Tue	39	47	64	66	53	49	48	49	50	54	61	68	70	61	51	43	40
Wed	39	47	62	66	55	50	49	50	51	55	63	68	72	62	51	44	41
Thu	39	47	62	65	54	50	51	51	54	55	65	69	73	64	52	45	41
Fri	40	46	56	56	51	50	52	52	55	61	68	71	71	66	53	47	43
Sat	40	41	42	43	46	48	51	51	53	55	55	56	55	52	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	48	50	50	52	51	49	47	46	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	58	60	51	46	48	48	50	52	59	65	67	58	48	42	40
Tue	39	47	64	66	53	49	48	49	50	54	61	68	70	61	51	43	40
Wed	39	47	62	66	55	50	49	50	51	55	63	68	72	62	51	44	41
Thu	39	47	62	65	54	50	51	51	54	55	65	69	73	64	52	45	41
Fri	40	46	56	56	51	50	52	52	55	61	68	71	71	66	53	47	43
Sat	40	41	42	43	46	48	51	51	53	55	55	56	55	52	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	48	50	50	52	51	49	47	46	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	58	60	51	46	48	48	50	52	59	65	67	58	48	42	40
Tue	39	47	64	66	53	49	48	49	50	54	61	68	70	61	51	43	40
Wed	39	47	62	66	55	50	49	50	51	55	63	68	72	62	51	44	41
Thu	39	47	62	65	54	50	51	51	54	55	65	69	73	64	52	45	41
Fri	40	46	56	56	51	50	52	52	55	61	68	71	71	66	53	47	43
Sat	40	41	42	43	46	48	51	51	53	55	55	56	55	52	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	48	50	50	52	51	49	47	46	45	42